topic Re: Can a SPSS SAV file be compressed in PROC EXPORT? in SAS Procedures

Can a SPSS SAV file be compressed in PROC EXPORT?

hadim001 — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 23:30:25 GMT

We have some clients who still require SAV files for use in SPSS. When using PROC EXPORT and DBMS=SAV (or DBMS=SPSS), the files created are absolutely massive. A data file that would normally be about 200mb in SPSS is running ~ 880mb when exported. One easy example to replicate is a doing a PROC IMPORT followed immediately by a PROC EXPORT and the file goes from 10mb to 80mb.

In the PROC EXPORT documentation, it states that .SAV files can be: "SPSS files, compressed and uncompressed binary files". For the life of me I cannot find anywhere that references compressing a .SAV during the PROC EXPORT procedure. Is this possible in SAS?

And no, we cannot deliver as a .zip file.

Syntax is super basic, but if it helps:

proc export file="/my/path/to/testdataexportedfromsas.sav"
			dbms=sav
			replace
			data=sasdataset;
run;

Thanks!

Re: Can a SPSS SAV file be compressed in PROC EXPORT?

neeld1 — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 16:04:39 GMT

Hello, even I'm facing the same issue.

It would be great if someone could help out.

Regards,

Neel

Re: Can a SPSS SAV file be compressed in PROC EXPORT?

SASKiwi — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 20:44:19 GMT

@neeld1 - I had a quick look at this and from what I can see SAS can read compressed SPSS SAV files but not necessarily create them - at least I can't see any option for compressing.

Re: Can a SPSS SAV file be compressed in PROC EXPORT?

Tom — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 16:25:17 GMT

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